This invention generally relates to reclining furniture and, more specifically, to a three-way reclining furniture item having a moveable seat, backrest and footrest.
Conventional reclining furniture items, such as chairs, sofas and sectionals, generally have either two-way or three-way mechanisms for allowing the chair to be moved between upright and reclined positions. In a two-way mechanism, the seat is fixed to the backrest as a unitary structure so that the angle between the seat and backrest remains the same during reclining motion. If the piece of furniture has a three-way mechanism, the top of the backrest will angle downwardly and rearwardly relative to the seat as the furniture item moves from an intermediate reclined or so-called T.V. position to a fully reclined position. Likewise, the backrest will move or tilt back up as the furniture item moves from the fully reclined position to the T.V. position. Among the concerns with reclining mechanisms in general are complexity and cost issues. These mechanisms can comprise large numbers of linkages and pivots to give the desired movement to the furniture item. Understandably, the more linkages and pivot connections in a given reclining mechanism, the higher the cost of manufacture and assembly. It has also become conventional practice to design reclining mechanisms with xe2x80x9czero wall proximityxe2x80x9d ability. This refers to the ability to place the item of furniture with the top of the backrest against or very close to a wall while still allowing movement of the furniture item into both intermediate and fully reclined positions without encountering interference from the wall. Generally, the addition of this feature to a mechanism has even further complicated the typical three-way reclining mechanism. Another problem associated with reclining mechanisms has been the noise that they produce in moving between the different chair positions. Again, this noise can be associated with the numerous moving linkages in the mechanisms.
There have been many attempts to incorporate rollers in reclining mechanisms in various ways to produce mechanisms allowing different movements. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,724; 4,072,342; 4,364,603; 4,531,778; and 5,823,614. One area of improvement that would be desirable relates to the footrest linkage of the mechanism. Conventionally, a scissor linkage assembly has been incorporated to extend and retract the footrest. Consumers have become widely familiar and comfortable with the typical footrest movement between the retracted and extended positions. However, the linkage assemblies have high numbers of links and pivots and present exposed pinch points. Certain consumers may also find them unattractive when in the extended position.
Alternative designs have been proposed to simplify the typical footrest scissor linkage, however, none of these alternatives have been fully acceptable. For example, alternative footrest mechanism constructions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,506,925 and 4,844,536. In general, the mechanisms shown in these patents substitute bars which carry a footrest between retracted and extended positions using linkages, rollers or both. One major drawback with previous proposals such as these is that the resulting movement of the footrest does not closely approximate the typical movement of a footrest as refined through years of reclining mechanism development. This is believed to be one reason that these alternative footrest constructions have not been accepted in the industry.
In view of various problems with reclining mechanisms, such as three-way reclining mechanisms, it would be desirable to simplify these mechanisms and make them more attractive by significantly reducing the number of linkages in the footrest support and actuation portion, while also reducing costs, noise and potential pinch points associated with the mechanisms. At the same time, it would advantageous to provide a mechanism which fully reclines in a smooth manner without significant effort by the seat occupant and without interfering with a closely adjacent wall located behind the backrest.
The present invention improves upon past reclining mechanisms by incorporating a simplified footrest support bar and actuating system that closely approximates the typical arc-shaped movement of an extending and retracting footrest mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, a reclining mechanism is provided for a furniture item to allow movement between upright and reclined positions. More specifically, this may include one upright position and two reclined positions, typically referred to as an intermediate reclined position or T.V. position and a fully reclined position. The reclining mechanism generally includes support structure adapted for attachment to the furniture item, and a footrest support bar connected for longitudinal movement with respect to the support structure between extended and retracted positions. In the preferred embodiment, the support structure includes a track and the footrest support bar is connected for movement along the track. At least one of the track and the footrest support bar includes an S-shaped section. A first end of the footrest support bar is adapted for connection to a footrest member for supporting the legs of a seat occupant. Actuating structure is provided and connected with the footrest support bar and operates to move the footrest support bar along the S-shaped section between the extended and retracted positions.
The actuating structure is operated by a drive mechanism located between the reclining mechanisms. The drive mechanism preferably includes a motor assembly operable to rotate a drive tube. The drive tube is operatively connected to the actuating structure. However, drive mechanisms other than a motor assembly are within the scope of the present invention.
In one advantageous and preferred configuration, the S-shaped section is on the footrest support bar. The S-shaped section of the footrest support bar functions to closely approximate the movement of a conventional footrest mechanism. Also, in furtherance of this advantage, the footrest support bar includes at least one roller attached for rotation thereto and the support structure further includes a track. The roller is mounted for movement along the track between the extended and retracted positions. In the preferred embodiment, the track includes at least one curved section between the first and second ends and, more preferably, the entire track curves upward and then downward from a rear portion to a front portion thereof.
While the support structure may take many forms, it preferably includes a seat supporting member mounted adjacent the footrest support bar in a manner allowing the actuating structure to travel along the track as the footrest support bar moves between the extended and retracted positions. The roller is attached proximate the second end of the footrest support bar and the track includes first and second stops, which may be the ends of the track, with the roller engaging the stops at the respective upright and reclined positions. In a three-way mechanism, the rollers will preferably engage the stops at the upright and intermediate reclined positions. The roller is connected for movement with the actuating structure along the track. At least one additional roller is connected to a front portion of the support structure adjacent the footrest support bar and engages the footrest support bar during movement between the extended and retracted positions. In the preferred embodiment, upper and lower rollers are connected to the front portion of the support structure. These upper and lower rollers will support and guide the footrest support bar during movement between the extended and retracted positions. Many other options, such as a zero wall proximity option, gliding option, swivel option, etc., may also be incorporated into a mechanism of the present invention.
The invention also generally contemplates a method of operating a footrest mechanism in a reclining furniture item as generally described above. The method involves maintaining the footrest in a generally vertical orientation, moving the footrest support bar simultaneously downward and outward, reorienting the footrest into an angled orientation, extending the footrest support bar through an upwardly and outward arc while the footrest moves through the angled orientation, and stopping the footrest support bar with the footrest in the generally horizontal orientation at an upper end of the arc and the footrest support bar extending between the seat and the footrest. The method further involves retracting the footrest support bar through an opposite downward and inward arc while the footrest moves through the angled orientation and moving the footrest support bar upward and inward toward the seat as the footrest approaches the seat. The footrest stops in the generally vertical orientation in a typical position tucked beneath the seat.
The invention further contemplates a reclining mechanism similar to the above-described mechanism but either alternatively or additionally including a footrest member that is connected for biased, pivotal motion with respect to the footrest actuating structure, such as the S-shaped footrest support bar. In one aspect, the footrest member is connected by at least one spring to the footrest actuating structure and the spring is mounted for movement into an over-center position for pivoting the footrest member into a leg supporting position upon extension thereof. In another aspect, the footrest member is pivotally connected to the footrest actuating structure in a pivoting fashion allowing pivoting motion in two directions whereby the front edge of the footrest member is pivotal downward in the leg supporting position and the rear edge of the footrest member is pivotal outward in the retracted position. This allows the footrest to float in a spring-biased fashion in concert with movement of the seat occupant""s legs in the extended position. Also, as the footrest member is retracted against the furniture item, the rear edge of the footrest member, which becomes the upper edge in the retracted position, can pivot away from the furniture item in case of object, such as a person""s body part, is caught between the footrest member and the remaining portions of the furniture item.
Additional features, objectives and advantages of the invention will be more readily appreciated from the description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the various configurations of the invention set forth in the appended claims.